LONG ISLAND JOURNAL

LONG ISLAND JOURNAL; Doctor by Day and Musical Star by Night

By MARCELLE S. FISCHLER

Published: January 4, 2004

AGNES winced and breathed hard through her first labor pain, alerting her husband, Michael.

''I have to go get the doctor!'' Michael cried, nervously jumping about. ''What should I do? For God's sake, I must do something!''

Actually, the doctor was already there. Michael and Agnes were characters in the two-person romantic musical comedy ''I Do! I Do!'' and the father's role was being rehearsed by Dr. Bruce Rebold, 52, a veteran of the Long Island stage as well as an obstetrician-gynecologist with a private practice in Syosset and the director of the obstetrics and gynecology department at North Shore University Hospital in Plainview. Lydia Gladstone, an actress from Greenlawn who often plays Edie Gorme to Dr. Rebold's Steve Lawrence on local stages, was Agnes.

''This is exactly what goes on at home when they are going into labor,'' Dr. Rebold said, chuckling at the script. The Hofstra USA production opens Friday at the Uniondale campus for a three-week run.

Since he went into private practice 21 years ago, Dr. Rebold, who lives in Oyster Bay, has been delivering babies and seeing patients by day and singing on stage at night, performing lead roles in two to three regional theater productions annually.

Recently, he missed a rehearsal to deliver twin boys and had to leave another early to do an emergency Caesarean section. Although he was in surgery until 3 a.m., he returned to the hospital for rounds and meetings at 6 that morning and was back on stage for a five-hour rehearsal that night.

Dr. Rebold last appeared as Billy Bigelow in the Huntington Township Theater Group's production of ''Carousel,'' and got hisses from his patients in the audience for his sexist role as Petruchio in ''Kiss Me, Kate'' at the Suffolk Y Theater in Commack.

His worlds often overlap. During an appearance as Sweeney in ''Sweeney Todd'' at Hofstra two years ago, Dr. Rebold did a scene with Emma Rucci of Westbury, whom he had delivered 12 years earlier. And during a prior seven-week production of ''The King and I'' at the Cultural Arts Playhouse in Bethpage, Dr. Rebold played opposite her father, Ed Rucci.

When the curtain is scheduled to rise, Dr. Rebold signs out, handing over responsibility for patient care to his partner or to another obstetrical group, but he often turns his beeper back on the moment he takes his final bow.

After a performance of ''La Cage Aux Folles'' a few years ago, Dr. Rebold raced to the hospital for a delivery, startling the expectant father when he showed up in drag, still wearing makeup. But he makes no secret of his passion for the theater. The walls of his medical office are lined with photographs and reviews from his shows.

Jane Smits, 44, a teacher from Massapequa, is a patient and a fan who has attended two of Dr. Rebold's shows. When her daughter was born 12 years ago, Ms. Smits recalled recently, Dr. Rebold sang the infant into the world with a rousing rendition of ''Old Man River'' from ''Showboat,'' the production he was rehearsing for the Jericho Players at the time. In the examining room recently, Dr. Rebold serenaded Ms. Smits through an invasive procedure.

''He was theatrical,'' Ms. Smits said. ''It was quite painful, and he was just singing to me. It's just a little plus that he is the actor. First and foremost is his wonderful, wonderful doctoring ability.''

Annette Masta, 72, of Bethpage gushed about Dr. Rebold's caring and dedication as a gynecologist and worried that he would give up his practice for Broadway. ''His voice is unbelievable,'' Ms. Masta said. ''He dances. It's unbelievable he's a medical man -- he is that talented.''

At the hospital he sometimes rehearses with patients.

''While I have patients in labor, I bring my scripts in, and they rehearse with me,'' Dr. Rebold said, though he mostly learns his roles by recording the script and learning it while driving. The 400 patients who are sent mailings about his shows are among his most enthusiastic fans.

''One of the biggest questions in my office when patients make their appointments is 'What time can I see the doctor, when is my appointment, and what show is he doing?''' Dr. Rebold said.

Another patient, Carol Dellicicchi, 40, of Smithtown said it seemed natural to see her gynecologist on stage.

''His bedside manner is wonderful,'' she said. ''Going to his shows is my way of supporting him, given how he has supported me.''

To maximize his time on stage, Dr. Rebold accepts only leading roles. He has played the Phantom in ''The Phantom of the Opera,'' Don Quixote in ''Man of La Mancha,'' King Arthur in ''Camelot'' and the King in ''The King and I.'' He assured himself starring roles for three years in the 1990's as a part-owner with Kevin and Phyllis Harrington of the Plaza Playhouse in Old Bethpage. He also delivered the Harringtons' two children, Alex, who is now 12, and Emma, now 8. In 1996, a donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS landed Dr. Rebold a minor role in ''Les Misérables,'' his only appearance on the professional stage. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Rebold constantly recruited friends to put on shows in his basement or garage. At Brooklyn College, he waffled between becoming a doctor or an actor.

''I decided to go pre-med more for practical reasons, although my heart has always been in the theater,'' Dr. Rebold said, but he nearly switched his drama minor to a major in his junior year.